The invention relates to a device for connecting a steering column to a cross member positioned between two A-pillars of a vehicle. The device comprises a front connecting region, a cross member-accommodating region, and a rear connecting region.
To reduce emissions, automobile manufacturers endeavor to design lighter and lighter vehicles. At the same time, however, manufacturers are obligated to fulfill ever-increasing legal safety requirements. This is sometimes a great design challenge for many components or assemblies, especially since these components or assemblies must generally be particularly high strength in order to meet legal requirements.
Many automobile manufacturers are switching over to modularly constructing as many assemblies of a vehicle as possible so that these assemblies are versatile in application and are easy to assemble. Because of this modular construction, it is also possible to produce many modules of a component or of an assembly in different locations, and therefore minimize the logistical complexities associated with fully assembled assemblies.
To produce devices for connecting a steering column to a cross member, the known prior art predominantly uses steel sheet shells, die-cast components, or plastic-metal hybrid structures injection-molded directly on the cross member. These approaches usually consist of many individual components having associated high joining costs, and require high investment costs for progressive tools. Although it is known and common to use topology analyses during a design process, the traditional devices for connecting a steering column to a cross member are only conditionally designable in a load-path-oriented manner in the case of the sheet-metal shell design, and therefore over dimensioning necessarily results. Therefore, these devices are heavy and/or cannot be used modularly due to their complex assembly.
As an example, it is clear from DE 10 2004 025 245 A1 that two metal inserts are used therein to connect a steering column, wherein bores are provided in these metal inserts for this purpose. In addition to the structure of the metal inserts illustrated in FIG. 3 of that published patent application, it also emerges from these bores that the metal inserts are realized in the sheet metal shell design. Thereafter, in a subsequent injection-molding cycle, the metal inserts are furthermore directly injection-molded onto the cross member in order to establish a connection to the cross member.
A disadvantage of this prior art is that the design of the corresponding device for connecting a steering column is not optimized with regard to the load path, thereby resulting in a higher weight. In addition, this type of design results in less flexibility. This is because additional logistical expenses are connected therewith, since the cross member must be shipped again for further final assembly and because the cross member has significantly more unwieldy dimensions from overmolding. Increased tool expenditures are also necessary in order to achieve accurate positioning of the device, and therefore a tolerance compensation can be realized only at great expense. In addition, modular usability is precluded because specific tools must be used to realize a connection.
Furthermore, a structure of a steering column support for increasing the stiffness of the steering column support and of a dashboard cross element is known from DE 10 2007 002 431 B4. The steering column support is formed from a combination of a fork plate or stop plate and an accommodating main body, and thus is formed as a pair of right and left mounting segments. The fork plate and the accommodating main body are composed of metal and joined by welding.
A disadvantage of this steering column support structure is that the design is likewise not optimized in a load-path-oriented manner. Rather, the fork plate or stop plate serves as a closing plate for the accommodating main body in order to realize a required stiffness. Because a support unit thus formed has to be designed as a pair and in the manner of a shell, a higher weight, more complex production methods, and assembly difficulties result. In addition, design freedom with regard to a connection of clips, retainers, etc. can be implemented only by means of increased complexity.
In DE 10 2004 051 182 B4, a further steering-column holding structure is shown. A column-holding support is attached to a firewall support and a column-holding extension by means of pedals. The pedals are pivotally fastened to a dashboard by means of a pedal support. The column-holding support is designed in a shell shape as a closed profile having a column-holding extension, which furthermore is attached as an additional component. Thus, the column-holding support is not optimally designed in a weight-oriented or load-path-oriented manner.
The foregoing example of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.